Excerpts from “Memories come alive” autobiography of Manna Dey

Excerpts from “Memories come alive” autobiography of Manna Dey

“The other musical duos responsible for promoting my singing career were Shankar and Jaikishan. I am especially indebted to Shanker-ji, for had it not been for his patronage, I would certainly not have attained the heights of success I enjoyed in my career. Here was one man who knew how to bring out the best in me. No other music director, not even Sachin-da, for that matter, took the trouble to do that. Was it because, unlike Shanker-ji, they were unaware of my potential? Is it not a question I am qualified to answer. Sachin-da, for instance, had asked me to sing ‘Upar gagan vishal’ because he wanted to resurrect my uncle’s style of singing through me. Moreover, despite giving my best to his songs, and even after I had made my mark as a playback singer, Sachin –da did not ask me to sing on a regular basis for the films whose music he composed. Shanker-ji, however, was different. He had a clear conception of the range of my voice and began composing some of my popular numbers to exploit it fully. In fact, he was the first music director who dared to experiment with my voice by making me sing romantic numbers. Somehow, he sensed that my masculine style of rendering style of rendering love songs would appeal to the public. And he was not wide of the mark. I, for my part, was always happy to sing for Shanker-ji because of the sheer variety of his tunes. The compositions he especially reserved for me included everything that could be described as light music – as opposed to classical – compromising romantic numbers, wistful songs of farewell, comic songs and devotionals. The precedent set by Shanker-ji would be instrumental in furthering my career with other music directors who, inspired by his success, eagerly came forward with a wide range of compositions for me to sing. Today, I look back on that phase of my singing career as my golden period and if my fans call me a versatile singer, it is entirely due to Shanker-ji’s astute judgement of my capabilities and his initiative in bringing them to the fore.

This duo’s other important contribution to my career lay in their decision to use my voice for songs lip-synched by younger characters in films, a marked departure from the general trend of making me sing playback for older actors. Until then, I had, been accustomed to lending my voice for songs composed either for the character of Valmiki, the old sage of Ramayana, or the actor who played Hanuman and was required to jump around, swinging his long tail. In fact I often found the prospect of going to a theatre hall and watching such characters a trifle awkward, particularly when they lip-synched my voice. Besides, telling friends that I had, indeed sung for Valmiki or Hanuman was embarrassing enough. With Shankar and Jaikishen giving me a different kind of break, however, the situation changed completely. Now, I could proudly tell my friends that the leading character of such and such film would be lip-synching my song. These developments naturally gave my self-confidence a tremendous boost.

As far as I can remember, my very first song composed by Shanker and Jaikishen was for Awara, a film produced and directed by the legendary Raj Kapoor. The duet with Lata Mangeshkar, ‘Tere bina aag yeh chandni’, written by the famous lyricist Shailendra, would mark the beginning of my golden period in playback singing. Then followed, one smash hit after another; ‘Lapak jhapak tu aare badarwa’ in Boot Polish, ‘Dil ka haal sune dilwale’ in Shri 420, ‘Yeh raat bheegi bheegi’ in Chori Chori and ‘Jhoomta mausam’ in Ujaala.

The most interesting feature of Shanker and Jaikishen’s medodies was their sheer novelty and, in that respect, they remain unrivalled. The man on the street enjoyed singing them for fun and their appeal has survived the passage of time. Their commitment to their work was truly commendable and considering their taste and flair for innovation, which they introduced to suit a song’s mood and lyrics, along with the kind of effort that went into their compositions, it is hardly surprising that they should have produced such memorable hits.

It was Shanker and Jaikishen’s last composition for me, ‘Sur na saje’ from Basant Bahar, which would bring the most productive period of my career with them to a glorious close.”

I thought for those of us in the group who have not read the book, it will be of great help. In the book, Manna Dey starts with SDB among the MDs and then comes to SJ. It may be remembered that he started as an assistant to SDB and got his break also from SDB. But having read the above one can understand where he places SJ among the MDs he had worked with.

However, I did not understand how he has written that ‘Sur na saje’ was the last composition with SJ.

Thanks Sanil for putting up this on the web.
Indeed Mr. Manna Dey has been mentioning of Shankar’s ( Shankar – Jaikishan ) contribution to his career, in all the interviews.
Even recently when he met the Journalists from Bengal, after he got the DADASAHEB PHALKE AWARD, he said this ….
” I am dedicating this award to Shankar – Jaikishan and Raj Kapoor. ”

It must be mentioned with due respect to all other music directors that no other music director has exploited the range of voice of Manna Dey, like what Shankar-Jaikishan did. Every song is unique and so well conceived and delivered !
regards. Sanjay Tikotekar, Andheri West, Mumbai.

Manna Da is the only living legend (I repeat the only) who never forgets to remember shankar jaikishan, particularly shankerji who was and is branded as uncouth, rude, etc etc. The genius music director bored all criticism and anti-publicity but said spade to spade and never bowed down before anyone, that is why he is very less remembered by others. But fans of Shankar Jaikishen will remain indebted to Manna Da for giving due respect to them and a person like Manna Da has again popularised them. He is returning what he got from SJ.

I have come across quite a few interviews in print and tv channels by Manna Da, and always impressed by his humility and his fair assessment of shankar or other singer artists never referring to the bitter situations he must have gone being overlooked by many of his peers.
I cant help comparing his unbiased praise on late S-J, to interviews of LATA MANGESHKAR (except for cursory few words) who has never acknowledged all departed music directors who toiled hard to give her the best of tunes, the leading one being S J who is my most favourite music directors to this day.

All SJ fans are of the view which has been expressed by you. SJ fans need to launch campaign to let the younger generation know about their contribution to the world of Hindi Film Music. We the fans on shankarjaikishan group on Yahoo are trying for the same. I would like you to join this group to share/contribute your thoughts and views on them. Please come to http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/shankarjaikishan/ and follow the instruction to join this group. You are most welcome there. Regards…sp/kol

i really appriciate the legendary singer manna da that he indebted to shankerjaikishan specially shankerji for promoting his singing career to the top and in his every interview he undoubtly praised openly,where as lata mangeshker who was nothing before film barsat was released and become fam e only due to shankerjaikishan being used her in all the songs of barsaat, actually she should be indebted to them for making her papular and fame, when so many female singers like, noor jahan,suriah,shamshad begum and others were hit singers but taking risk and the potential she had that time, was cleaverly used by shankerji and made her singer.

SJ &Manna Dey combo was the best that could happen to Indian film music. SJ would have used Manna’s voice more rather than Mukesh’s .Manna was so humble, sincere, & faithful to Shankarji unlike Mukesh & Lata.

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